Chapter 213 The Difficulty of Overcoming the Beauty's Charm
Three people were having a private conversation in a high pavilion.
"Ouyang Lianghan? That name sounds familiar. Isn't he some upright gentleman admired by the literati?"
After listening quietly to Boss Li's account and recounting for a while, Wei Shaoxuan took out a piece of paper covered with dense writing and flipped through it. Suddenly, he looked up and asked a question.
"This young man is quite interesting. He has the Liu family and the local gentry of Longcheng completely under his thumb. He's quite to my liking... So, Liu Ziwen died at his hands?"
"Well..."
After hesitating for a moment, Boss Li revealed some of his true feelings:
"Sixth Young Master, I feel that Liu Ziwen's death is somewhat complicated, and there may be hidden reasons behind it."
"If it wasn't Ouyang Lianghan who did it, then who was?"
Wei Shaoxuan paused, then asked with a smile, "Is it Wang Lengran, or Shen Xisheng? Wait... Liu Zian?"
“My servants have passed through Jiangzhou several times before and inquired about it. It doesn’t seem like Lord Wang did it.” Boss Li shook his head: “Whether it’s Shen Xisheng or Liu Zian, I don’t know.”
“Previously, the Liu family had always been led by Liu Ziwen, who was in contact with us. My father sent people to investigate Liu Ziwen, and he was very pragmatic and his needs and desires were very clear. After so many years of cooperation, there was a guarantee of trust. But now he has suddenly died, and in his place, Liu Zian is leading the Liu family to cooperate with us... This is not a good change.”
Wei Shaoxuan glanced at Boss Li and pondered for a moment:
What kind of person is Liu Zi'an?
Boss Li was silent for a moment, "He is very cautious and patient, as can be seen from his dealings with Ouyang Lianghan... As for the Wei family, he seems to be quite honest with them so far."
“Being honest now doesn’t mean he’ll be honest in the future. Go investigate him, investigate him along with the death of his elder brother Liu Ziwen.”
Wei Shaoxuan interrupted Boss Li and casually waved his hand:
"We can use the pawn buried in the Liu family to investigate whether there was any fratricide. Before taking the Ding Sword, we must ensure that all potential threats are eliminated..."
"For some reason, I have a feeling that Liu Ziwen's death is closely related to Liu Zian. I hope I'm wrong. Tsk tsk, speaking of this inexplicable intuition, I don't know if it's because I understand what it's like to be a younger brother like Liu Zian. After all, I also have several harmonious older brothers."
Wei Shaoxuan chuckled softly.
"Yes, Sixth Young Master." Boss Li bowed respectfully.
He pretended not to hear the last few words spoken by the sixth young master of the Wei family.
In fact, the Persian merchant had heard some rumors about the complicated situation between the legitimate and illegitimate sons of the Wei and Liang families, but it was not something he was qualified to discuss, so he was better off remaining deaf.
Qiu Qi, who had been observing coldly from the window, turned his head and glanced at Wei Shaoxuan.
"Godfather, anyway, we took the imperial envoy's carriage and boat this time, and arrived in Dragon City in a few days." Wei Shaoxuan turned his head and explained with a smile, "Since I have some free time, I'll investigate more carefully and see if there are any interesting secrets hidden."
Qiu Qi crossed his arms and nodded:
"As long as Liu Lang knows his limits."
There were faint sounds coming from the street below the window. Wei Shaoxuan walked to the window and glanced at it, his previously interested expression disappearing.
"This is boring. Sister Miaozhen is still not up to par. She was intimidated by a weak scholar. The show is over now... However, His Majesty actually gave Li Xian a jade pendant. That seems a bit meaningful..."
Standing by the window, Wei Shaoxuan pondered for a moment, then glanced at the commotion outside the Su residence for a while before shaking his head, seemingly bored.
Then, the sixth young master of the Wei family seemed to turn his head and say something to Qiu Qi.
The man carrying the sword box took it off his back and handed it to Wei Shaoxuan.
The latter caught it with one hand, placed it horizontally in front of him, and gently stroked the warm, smooth wooden box with two fingers together. Even though he had examined the sword box more than once, he still showed some appreciation and admiration on his face.
This box seems to have an internal mechanism; it is quite ingenious.
With a series of complex movements, Wei Shaoxuan made a "click" sound, as if an iron chain was slowly lowering the gate of a mighty city pass, and the sword box opened in response.
The sword light burst forth from the box like a bull in battle.
This immediately attracted the attention of the three people in the pavilion.
Legend has it that the Mo Family Sword Box is one of the most prestigious sword-nurturing items in the hearts of sword cultivators worldwide. The box is made of a material that naturally gathers qi, and it is ingeniously crafted with ingenious mechanisms to achieve the miraculous effects of nurturing sword qi, cleansing the sword body, and concealing the sword's light.
Even an ordinary sword, Qingfeng, can become vastly different and unlike any other weapon if it is nurtured within it.
At that moment, a sword was seen being inserted diagonally into the box.
When Wei Shaoxuan took out the sword and turned it upside down in front of the window under the setting sun, people could see that it was actually a short sword similar to a dagger.
The short sword is luxurious.
The hilt is inlaid with jade, agate, pearls and gemstones, and adorned with an exquisite tassel woven from colorful ribbons.
The sword's edge, lying in the sunlight, reflected a chilling light into the room, which flickered throughout as the swordsman moved about.
Boss Li looked at it curiously, then his expression suddenly changed.
This sword was the last message sword that Liu Ziwen entrusted him to deliver to the Wei Prince's Mansion in Luoyang. It had been slashed and used to drink blood, and it was also the signal to retrieve the sword.
At present, Qiu Qi and Wei Shaoxuan, just the two of them, went alone to retrieve the sword, and naturally, as agreed, they brought it along with the Mo family's sword box.
Wei Shaoxuan leaned against the window railing, toying with the short, slender sword in his hand. He raised his hand as if to throw it away.
"Go and inform Liu Zian that I have arrived. Take it, and return it to Liu Zian as well. This short sword is quite good; it kills without shedding a drop of blood. I hope that the Ding sword he finally hands over will also satisfy me as much as this..."
Wei Shaoxuan chuckled softly as he casually glanced out the window, but abruptly stopped halfway through his sentence.
Boss Li, who had bowed his head in preparation for receiving orders, raised his hand as if to receive a sword, but after waiting for a while, Wei Shaoxuan's sword did not come.
"Sixth Young Master? Sixth Young Master?" He couldn't help but call out twice.
Still, no one paid any attention.
Wei Shaoxuan's mouth seemed to be blocked.
A moment later, Boss Li cautiously looked up and found that Mr. Qiu was also turning his head to look at Wei Shaoxuan, just like him.
The sixth young master of the Wei family, who had been leaning against the railing by the window, had changed to a standing posture with his hands hanging down, his head sticking out of the window, his eyes fixed on the street in front of the Su family mansion below.
His body remained motionless, as if lost in thought.
Boss Li and Qiu Qi followed his gaze.
She was a young girl with a bare face, her forehead adorned with a bright red plum blossom-shaped dot. She sat obediently on an embroidered stool, holding a thin purple veil she had just taken off. Not far in front of her, a court painter solemnly painted...
My daughter has grown up and left home.
The air fell silent.
Wei Shaoxuan suddenly turned his head and said to Qiu Qi with a serious expression:
"How about we change the gift a little? After all... we're relatives, and he's my godfather, so I feel obligated to give him a birthday present."
Qiu Qi: ?
Boss Li: ...
Before long, the painting work in front of the Su residence was completed.
Inside the high pavilion, Wei Shaoxuan lowered his head, pacing around in place for a dozen times. At one point, he stopped and murmured to himself, "Could there really be such a stunningly beautiful woman in the world? And most importantly, does she resemble Her Majesty the Empress so much, perhaps even surpassing her..."
Wei Shaoxuan glanced at the sword in his hand, straightened his clothes, and turned to go downstairs.
On behalf of the Wei family, they visited to deliver gifts.
...
Under the afterglow of the setting sun.
Fishermen sing their evening songs.
The once bustling Penglang Ferry crossing has become deserted, like a glowing ember extinguished by water.
Returning ferries were moored there, as were passenger ships that were temporarily docked by merchants passing through.
However, the once crowded ferry terminal now has a large empty space in the center of the dock.
A large crowd also gathered on the shore by the pier.
Several fishing boats, laden with fish and returning late, slowly docked at this strangely empty "prime spot" of the pier. The fishermen, who had worked hard all day, were beaming with joy. In the past, these "prime spots" would have been snapped up long ago, and they would never have had the chance to return late.
The boatmen who had just returned couldn't help but turn their heads curiously to look at the huge sails that were slowly disappearing into the distance on the river.
A magnificent, unfamiliar official ship broke through the shimmering golden waves under the setting sun, turning its back on Longcheng County without looking back, with the red sun as its backdrop.
Ouyang Rong, like the fishermen, watched the fleet carrying Miaozhen and other envoys from the Luoyang court gradually disappear into the distance, standing at the forefront of the farewell crowd on the dock.
"Eh."
A sigh suddenly rang out from the front row of the crowd, causing the atmosphere among the county officials to freeze slightly.
Ouyang Rong stood quietly with his sleeves tucked in, his face calm, without turning his head to look at the sighing County Magistrate Diao.
Yan Liulang, who had rushed over from the clerk's residence in the afternoon, turned around and frowned, saying:
"Why does the county magistrate keep sighing? Is he dissatisfied with the magistrate? If so, just say so."
"How could I possibly be dissatisfied with Your Excellency? It's mainly about what happened today... Ah."
Magistrate Diao, looking distressed, couldn't help but say, "Why doesn't Your Excellency invite the lady to stay? I've already prepared a banquet. It would be wonderful if Your Excellency could let them stay for a meal, rest in Longcheng for a few days, and enjoy the scenery..."
Ouyang Rong stared at the small, dark dot on the distant river surface, which was gradually shrinking, without saying a word.
In the afternoon, after the highly skilled court painter finished sketching Su Guo'er's portrait without makeup at the entrance of the Su residence, Miaozhen left without saying a word, leading the painter and palace maids away.
They boarded the ship and left without lingering.
Whether it was because of Ouyang Rong's interference or not, Miaozhen's expression didn't look too good.
Finally, after boarding the bow deck, he turned slightly, lowered his eyes, glanced disdainfully at Ouyang Rong on the dock below, and said, "Magistrate Ouyang, until we meet again."
What a perfect "see you later".
At that time, Ouyang Rong simply stood there, slightly bent his waist, cupped his hands in a gesture of respect, and did not reply.
Then he watched quietly as the official ship left the dock.
At this moment, Yan Liulang glanced sideways and said:
"Hasn't Lord Diao figured it out yet? This sixth-rank female official is all business and doesn't care about personal feelings. Eating and giving gifts are useless. Lord Diao, stop with these fancy things. They'll only make her look down on you and us."
"It's better to look down on them than to offend them. At worst, they'll just let us go like a fart. They say even a seventh-rank official is above the prime minister's gate, let alone a sixth-rank female official in front of His Majesty. I wonder how many ranks they'll add. What should we do now?"
County Magistrate Diao looked worried and muttered dejectedly:
"For the sake of the deposed Prince Xunyang and his family, we ended up offending the envoys from Luoyang. I wonder what they will say about us before the Emperor..."
As if he had completely confirmed that the official boat had entered the river and left, never to return, Ouyang Rong, squinting as he gazed into the distance, nodded slightly, turned his face, and looked at the withered wrinkles on Magistrate Diao's dark face, which were full of the vicissitudes of his past years of being trapped in the grassroots of the bureaucracy and wasting his life.
"Lord Diao."
Ouyang Rong suddenly said.
"Your humble servant is here."
Ouyang Rong sighed softly:
"There's a reason why Lord Diao has been serving as the county magistrate for so many years."
County Magistrate Diao: ...
Okay, you're so high and mighty, you're so great.
Unable to grasp Ouyang Rong's hidden meaning, County Magistrate Diao nearly ground his teeth to powder, looking at the young county magistrate, a scholar who had been demoted to a local post and was now a seventh-rank official, with tears welling up in his eyes.
He couldn't help but choke up, and for a moment, he was overcome with grief... Ah, it's better not to be an eighth-rank official!
Ouyang Rong gently patted the old county magistrate's withered shoulder, led the way away, and left with a remark:
"Let's go, it's all over. Everyone go home and go to work as usual tomorrow. As for the Su family mansion on Luming Street... just pretend you didn't see it. They're just commoners, so there's no need for you to treat them specially."
The county officials gathered at the dock exchanged glances, then reluctantly obeyed and filed away.
Yan Liulang quickly caught up with Ouyang Rong, following behind him at a slower pace, his waist knife at his side, and sighed:
"I never imagined that the eldest son's family was originally the family of the Prince of Xunyang who was demoted to commoners. Doesn't that mean that the eldest son has the blood of Emperor Taizong Wen in his veins?"
"Good heavens! My sixth son actually went to brothels and drank with the great-grandson of Emperor Taizong! This is quite an experience for my grandson to boast about."
Yan Liulang looked up at the moon, pondered deeply for a moment, and then frowned in thought:
“My lord, isn’t it a bit too presumptuous of me to still call him ‘Big Brother’ now?”
Ouyang Rong, who was walking in front, nodded: "Six."
Only one word was transmitted back behind him.
"Oh? I'm here."
Yan Liulang was taken aback, then stepped forward to report:
"Why did you summon me, Your Excellency? What are your orders?"
Ouyang Rong's lips twitched slightly.
Before long, Yan Liulang, who had been muttering to Ouyang Rong, was sent back to the official residence. It seemed that the strange purple mist in Ouyang Rong's merit tower had erased the mark on the Mirage Beast's mask last time. The Jade Cup Fairy seemed to have vomited a mouthful of blood quite seriously and was still unconscious, barely breathing.
On his way back to Meiluyuan alone at night, Ouyang Rong would stop from time to time to glance at the brightly lit Su residence in the distance.
What happened today was indeed quite unexpected for him.
The revelation of Su Dalang and Su Xiaomei's family identities left Ouyang Rong, who was in the dark, somewhat bewildered. Only later did he realize the truth.
He began to understand the subtle abnormalities that his junior sister, mentor Xie Xun, and the Su family had previously exhibited.
Ouyang Rong strongly suspected that his junior sister had followed her master Xie Xun to Longcheng County to worship Buddha, and that she stayed behind to assist him, mainly to protect the Su family.
Having figured all this out, he fell silent for a while.
However, there was no intention to blame the junior sister, after all, she had just arrived and the two of them were not very familiar with each other.
As for why she didn't say it after they became familiar... Ouyang Rong thought about it in hindsight and realized that his junior sister had been giving hints all along, but he had ignored them.
As soon as Ouyang Rong arrived at the entrance of the Deer Park, he encountered two familiar figures guarding the gate.
It was Li Xian and Su Dalang.
"Lianghan!" "Nephew Lianghan..."
Upon seeing him, the father and son were overjoyed and earnestly invited Ouyang Rong to the Su residence for dinner, as usual. In addition, today, Wei Bo's mother cooked the meal herself.
But Ouyang Rong silently withdrew his arm, his expression calm, and shook his head.
Li Xian and Su Dalang immediately looked embarrassed.
Ouyang Rong politely bid farewell and entered the Sika Deer Garden.
Watching Ouyang Rong's back, so different from when he stepped forward to help that afternoon, the father and son, separated from their family, frowned in confusion and sighed deeply...
Turning his head to look at the tightly closed door, Ouyang Rong shook his head slightly and muttered something.
Before long, he returned to the plum grove courtyard and, under the afterglow of the setting sun, pushed open the door and entered.
In an instant, Ouyang Rong stopped in his tracks and stood still.
There was a noise coming from inside the study.
Ye Weilai was not there.
He frowned slightly, turned his gaze, and saw a beautiful woman in pink vaguely visible in the study.
She was standing on tiptoe in front of Ouyang Rong's bookshelf, flipping through books.
It is Su Guo'er, the youngest sister of the Su family.
No, she should be told to leave the house, or...
Your Highness?
I'm home safely, but I'm exhausted...
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com